Safe and Sound
by xXTheFlyingPieXx
Summary: Follows the "True Ending". Love can cause even the sanest of us to do horrific things. Things you and I could never dream of. Love is the most powerful emotion we, as human beings, can feel. Everybody wants it. But sometimes, it comes at a dangerous cost. Comes at a deadly cost. Takes place before Aya goes crazy!
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **Hey y'all! It's me! xXTheFlyingPieXx! So, I've been obsessed with this since I saw Pewdiepie play it. _AND,_ been obsessed with Dio x Aya! I've been seeing a lot "Dio comes back and stops crazy Aya from being crazy and along the way they fall in love and blah blah blah!" So, I guess this is a little different, then. This takes place BEFORE Aya goes fruity in the loops... So... ENJOY MY PIES!

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Mad Father, obviously!

* * *

Aya gave a large sigh as she closed the door behind the last patient of the day. Her patient, a girl no older than fourteen, had had a terrible bacterial illness. But, with weeks of treatment, Aya had been able to successfully cure the child. Taking off her doctor's coat, Aya walked into the kitchen and took a seat at the small, round coffee table. She looked out the window tiredly to see dark clouds that hung on a grey sky. Her least favorite type of day.

Maria, who had been helping out with Aya's practice, walked into the kitchen, looking equally as exhausted.

"I'm happy for the child, but I just hope that sickness doesn't come back." said Maria, leaning against the doorway, arms folded across her chest.

"Don't worry Maria, I'm fairly certain we nipped that disease in the bud!" Aya exclaimed, using a large amount of energy to thrust her fist into the air triumphantly. The act might have been considered childish if Aya had been a little older. But Aya, only nineteen, was still thought as a child in Maria's eyes. Nodding her head quietly, Maria yawned.

"If you wouldn't mind, Mistress, I'm going to take a rest in the guest bedroom."

"Go head Maria, you deserve it."

"Are you sure you don't need anything? I could make you some lemona-" Aya laughed, cutting off Maria.

"Maria, I'm a full grown woman, and besides, you don't even live here anymore." Aya assured. Maria nodded uncertainly, turned, and walked out of the kitchen.

Turning her head back to the dreary scene outside, she allowed he thoughts to drift. Aya usually didn't like to think about the past, but sometimes, she just couldn't help herself. The sky outside reminded her of how it looked that night. That night eight years ago. That night she would never, ever forget. She remembered how cold it was, how dark it was, how scary it was… She could still feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins as her father chased her down the long, stony hall. She could still feel the cold, lifeless doll hands that gripped her ankle, anchoring her in place as she pleaded with for her life. But most of all, she remembered the boy. The boy that had saved her multiple times throughout the night. The boy with the shaggy blonde hair and that one amber eye. He had been her only friend (besides Maria) in that cold and desolate place, even if it had only been briefly.

It was kind of funny. Maria, though she did not live with Aya anymore, was always telling her that she was growing up, and that she needed to find husband soon, to which Aya would always reply with a laugh. The only boy she had ever known to be her age was that boy from the curse, and even still he had had to have been a couple of years older than her. If he had been alive, that is.

A sudden crack of thunder jolted her out of her thoughts, and Aya realized that she had been in a daze. Focusing back on the outside, she saw that it had begun to rain, and far off in the distance, she heard a roll of thunder. Standing up, Aya decided it best to catch a few minutes of sleep herself. Walking down the hall, she quickly turned the lamp off and closed the door behind her.

* * *

Looking up at the sky with his one good eye, Dio flicked up the collar on his jacket. Stepping through a mud puddle, he picked up his pace, seeing as it was going to rain soon. He only had one thing on his mind, and that was finding Aya. _My God, why am I doing this? _Dio thought, _Why am I alive just to watch over Aya? I'm sure she is just leading a normal life as a doctor, not causing any trouble, as usual. _Shaking his head irritably, he continued his trek, now entering the forest.

* * *

*FLASHBACK*

Dio woke with a start, to find himself laying on damp grass. Looking around, he realized he was not dead like he had been just a minute ago. He was alive once again. Getting to his feet, Dio looked down at himself to see that he was much bigger than he had remembered being when he died. Turning his head, he saw a woman in a long blue dress with equally long brown hair, and knew almost immediately what was going on.

"Dio, do you know why I brought you here, why I brought you back to life?" Monika said in a hushed voice.

"No, but I'm sure it has something to do with Aya." he joked in return. Monika gave a small chuckle before nodding to Dio.

"Yes, that is correct. I need you to watch over her, protect her from… well, whatever she needs protection from."

"But, that is not all, is it?"

"Well, she's nineteen now, and living on her own. Maria stops by every once and a while to help treat patients, but other than that, Aya is alone. I need you to go to her and not only protect her, but become the friend she really needs." Monika grabbed Dio's hands in her own.

"Will you do that for me? Please?" She begged. Dio nodded.

"There is a small village just east of here, follow the path that says "Drevis Clinic", and you will find my daughter." said Monika, pointing off through the bushes. Dio nodded a second time, whispered "thank you Monika", and began to walk away when she grabbed Dio by the crook of his elbow.

"One last thing, Dio. I'm giving you one year. After your time is up, you must accompany back to Heaven.

"I-I understand. Thank you." Monika nodded, and in an instant, she was gone. Heading in the direction she pointed in, Dio rubbed his hands together, for it was cold to be amongst the living.

*END FLASHBACK*

* * *

Opening her eyes, Aya could tell by the stillness and the silence that Maria was gone, and that she had fallen asleep. Pushing herself out of bed, she walked over to her mirror, where she quickly fixed her knotted hair with her fingers. Looking at her watch, Aya saw that it was just a few minutes past five o' clock. _Dinner time,_ thought Aya hungrily. Walking back into the kitchen, she began to get a few ingredients out for some soup, when she heard a knock on the door.

_That's odd, _Aya thought, _I could have sworn I didn't have any more pateints tonight._ Turning from the counter, Aya walked through the parlor to the front door. Twisting the knob, she suddenly felt a feeling of anxiety. Ignoring it, Aya opened the door. Who she saw both delighted her and horrified her. It was the boy. Well, he wasn't so much of a boy anymore.

"Y-y-you…" she managed to choke out in a hoarse whisper.

"Hi Aya, good to see you too." he said, smiling.

"I-I think I feel fai-" Aya stuttered, before feeling the world blacken around her. She didn't feel herself hit the ground, but before she lost consciousness, she heard him whisper

"Aya, I'm here to help. Aya, stay with me…."

* * *

**AN:** So, yeah, a little different, right? Aya is just a sane person, helping people get better. What makes her go crazy? You'll find out soon enough! (Meaning in about ten months, when I actually finish this fic XD) Some things to know;

I'm not the best at updating, but I'll try... and this should be about a fifteen-twenty chapter story.

Well, catch ya on the flip side my pies!-xXTheFlyingPieXx


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** What is up everybody? How y'all doin' on this fine Saturday? I couldn't stay away from this story! I told you guys that I'm bad at updating, but then not even a week later I update! Well, oh well. I'm kinda sad I only got two reviews, but whateves. Thank you to everyone who reviewed/alerted/favorited! You ready fo' 'dis?! LET'S GOOOOOO!

**DISCLAIMER:** Don't own it, now read!

* * *

Aya did not dream when she had fainted. At least, she did not remember it when the blackness melted away and she was once again conscious. Her eyes fluttered quickly as she awoke in her bed. Had it been a dream? Had she been dreaming that the boy had come to visit her? _Well, he wasn't much of a boy anymore,_ thought Aya as she sat up in bed. Stretching, she swung her legs over the side and got to her feet. She walked out of the bedroom, dismissing the experience as a dream.

"Ah, you're alive! Good! For a moment there, I thought I'd killed you!" came a voice behind her. Aya froze in her tracks, terrified. Spinning around, Aya's eyes locked with his. Or, at least, the one of his.

It was odd. He was no longer a boy, but a man. He stood fairly tall, at about 5'11. And he had become somewhat broad-shouldered, but, for the most part, he wasn't all that big. His white-blonde hair was still shaggy, but it had straightened out now. His face was no longer that of a child's, but it had matured, and tightened. He still, however, had to wear a bandage over his empty eye socket. But, overall, he was a _very_ handsome man.

"So it wasn't a dream…" Aya muttered quietly.

"No. I'm really here. Living, breathing, and real." said Dio calmly, but with a smile on his face.

"How? Why? Why are you here?" Aya squeaked, still not fully accepting the situation.

"How? Well, your mother did it once, don't you think it's possible she did it again? Why? Well-" He began before Aya cut him off.

"My mother? What does Mom need? Have I done something wrong?" Aya said in one quick breath. Dio grunted under his breath. Did this girl ever listen? He grabbed Aya by the shoulders.

"Aya. Listen to me. Your mother sent me to check on you. That's all." He said, staring her directly in the eyes. She almost seemed to cower under his gaze, but her steady breathing assured Dio she was not going to be terrified into unconsciousness anymore.

"I'm sorry, this is just a lot to take in…" said Aya in a quiet voice.

"Understandable."

"So," she said, "for how long are you here?"

"Well, it's the oddest thing. Your mother gave me a whole year. I thought for sure it would be much shorter." He said, his eye wandering up to the ceiling as if he knew Monika was watching. Aya gave a small chuckle.

"I thought YOU would be much shorter." She said with a small twinkle of whit in her eye. Dio threw his head (and hair) back in a laugh.

"As did I, Aya, as did I." he said, looking down at himself.

"Your mother must have made me the age I should be." said Dio, as a puzzled expression quickly danced across his face.

"And that is?" asked Aya, who had always wondered just how old he had been. Dio's amber eye pointed skyward once more, but this time as if he was doing some quick calculations.

"Twenty-one, I think…" he said as if he wasn't very sure himself. Aya gave a quick nod.

"Right. Well, would you like some soup? I was making some before… you decided to visit." She said, now happy to have company.

"Oh Aya, I wouldn't want impose. I was planning on going back to the inn I saw earlier." He tilted his head so that his eye did not meet hers. Aya's chin prominently dropped.

"What are you talking about? You're a guest! You are going to be a guest for the next year, aren't you?"

"You wouldn't want me here, would you? For a year? Are you joking with me?"

"Of course! Did you think you wouldn't stay here?" Dio's cheeks turned a light shade of pink.

"Well, I didn't think you would want me to stay here…" Aya threw both her hands in the air.

"Nonsense! Do you know **HOW MANY TIMES** you saved my life? You are one of my friends. But… I don't even know your name…" said Aya, getting quieter and quieter as she spoke. There was a brief, awkward, silence as neither Dio lifted his eye to hers nor Aya spoke.

"Dio." He said suddenly.

"What?" He lifted his eye to meet hers.

"My name is Dio." He said monotonously. Another awkward silence. As Aya took a small breath in, she could almost feel the tension as it flowed through her lungs.

"Well…Dio… Let's get you settled." said Aya, deciding it best to eat dinner later.

"Ok." He muttered quietly. Aya extended her hand and patted Dio's left shoulder lightly, signaling to him that he should move out of the way. Turning the knob of the door Dio had been standing in front of, she pushed open the door and led him inside. The small room wasn't much, but Dio honestly didn't mind. It had pastille green paint on the walls, which made him suddenly feel cozy. There was a small bed in the far corner of the room, with a small, wooden nightstand pushing up against it. There was a dresser-drawer across from the bed, and a simple mirror hung next to it.

"Thank you, Aya." said Dio warmly, finally lifting the tension between them.

"Oh, it's no problem! Now, come! Let's go get some dinner!" she said merrily. Aya walked out of the room, but Dio could notice some skip in her step. _I should probably apologize, _he thought, _It isn't really her fault I don't want to think about my past. But, I can't say that, because I'd be hypocritical. I'm coming back from the dead. I can only imagine how she feels._ Dio followed behind Aya, and studied her along the way.

Aya was still petite, and Dio figured she would always be like that. Her dark brown hair, which had been to her waist when he had met her, was now cut to her shoulder-blades. Her face (which he couldn't see at the moment) hadn't really changed all that much, save for losing baby fat. Her eyes were still as blue as the ocean. She still had a dimple when she smiled. Everything that Dio had missed.

He walked on, getting of sudden feeling of happiness, which he had only ever experienced with Aya.

* * *

"That was delicious, thank you Aya." said Dio as he put his spoon back into the china bowl.

"Oh, you're welcome. It's a recipe that Maria taught me."

"Where is she anyways?"

"Maria? Well, ever since I turned eighteen, she moved out, telling me that I had to live on my own. But, I'm glad you're here now. I like having company." Aya said with a smile on her face.

"Aya, why did you become a doctor?" he asked, suddenly changing the subject. Dio had been curious just as to why she had chosen that profession, as it was one closely related to what her father had done. Aya looked a little puzzled by the question.

"I-I became a doctor… because…" Aya looked away so that her hair covered her face.

"You don't have to answer-"

"Because I wanted to help people. To help people my Father would have-" She stopped, turned her face back again, and drew in a shaky breath. Dio saw a single tear slide down her face. Wiping away with his finger, he consoled her.

"Shh, shh. It's okay. Look at me, Aya," he said in a soft voice, "I'm sorry I asked." Aya gave a small sniffle.

"I could help you, you know." She said, her blue eyes locking with his amber one. Dio was taken aback by this.

"What?"

"Your eye, Dio. I could give you a new one. A glass one." She said, smiling. Dio put a hand to his bandage. As much as it hurt to think about his past, the offer was extremely tempting.

"You…You can do that?"

"Yes. Would you like me to?" There was a long silence as he thought it over.

"Yes." Aya did not reply, but stood up and grabbed the crook of Dio's arm. She tugged him upwards, and when he was standing, began to lead him to her Treatment Room.

"Dio, lay down on the operation table, so that I can apply anesthesia." Aya pointed to a long wooden table with cushions at the end of the room. As Dio walked to the table and lay down, and involuntary shudder ran up and down his spine, cold as ice. This felt all too familiar.

"Aya…"

"Don't worry, Dio. I'm not going to hurt you. Not like my father did." She said from across the room, where she was getting some materials. Dio put a hand on his stomach, and took a deep breath in. Aya, with anesthesia and other things Dio did not recognize in hand, walked over to Dio and put her items on the tray next to him.

"Okay, I'm going to put you under, but you just have to trust me." Dio nodded nervously, and felt Aya put a small mask over his nose and mouth.

"This will only take a few minutes." Aya said softly. Dio closed his eye, and almost immediately fell asleep. Aya slipped on a doctor's mask and picked up a pair of bandage scissors. Cutting across the white cloth, she began to get nervous. _What if he doesn't like it?_ She thought as she unraveled the bandage, _What if it comes out looking worse? Oh, I hope he likes it._ Pulling off the gauze, the sight that once sickened her appeared for her once more. Aya, not even batting an eyelash, picked up the glass eye she had chosen.

It was by far the most real looking one, and it was the same color as Dio's eye too. Aya never liked doing surgeries, but preferred to give medicine and help. So, this was not the easiest task for her. Deciding to handle it as if it were a cleaning a cut, she closed her eyes and put the eye in the socket. Opening them slowly, Aya saw that it had been a perfect fit, and looked really life-like too. She leaned over and opened Dio's good eye. You could hardly tell the difference. Aya gave a small cheer, and began cleaning up.

A couple of minutes later, Dio woke up to the sound of rushing water. Putting a hand to his face, he did not feel the bandage anymore, but felt cold and glass where his empty socket had been. Dio gasped.

"Ah! The anesthesia wore off! So, what do you think?" Aya called from across the room, where she was washing her hands.

"Is there a mirror in here? I can't tell yet." Aya nodded her head to the right, where a large mirror hung on the wall. Dio wasted no time, and flung himself out of bed, rushing to the mirror. When he got there, he gasped again. It looked so real! It looked as if he had a real eye once again.

"Thank you Aya! Thank you so very much!" he said as he rushed over to her and hugged her from behind. Dio senses came back to him like a blow, and he let go instantly.

"Ahem. Sorry…" said Dio as his cheeks turned red. Aya laughed.

"It's okay, Dio. Now come, let's get some sleep." He looked at the clock, which read 8:30. They walked out of the Treatment Room, through the kitchen, and back into the bedroom hallway.

"Well, I guess this is goodnight." said Dio.

"Goodnight…" Aya whispered. And with that, they both turned and went into their rooms.

* * *

**AN:** How was that? Not personally my favorite, but oh well. Now, get ready for some DioxAya next chapter! :D :D :D. And for you peeps who are like,

"NO! AYA'S HAIR IS SUPPOSED TO BE SHORT!" Calm yoself! I purposefully wrote it like that! Well, as they say in show 'biz, that's a wrap!

-xXTheFlyingPieXx


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: **HOLY MOTHER OF WHAT?! 10 REVIEWS! OH MEH GERD I LOVE YOU ALL! *Gives everyone a pie* But seriously, thank you guys! Sorry I've been gone, I've had a lot oftheater stuffs to do... But who cares?! I'M BACK, BABY!

**DISCLAIMER: **DON'T OWN, NOW READ!

* * *

Just like the day, the nighttime sky was filled with dull, grey clouds that blocked the moon. Though now, it had begun to rain harder, and the thunderstorm was directly above the clinic. White lightning would rocket out of the sky every few minutes. The sky itself seemed churn in a foreshadowing manner.

Aya never liked these nights, as it was hard to see, and the unknown was lurking just around the corner. She tossed and turned in her bed, which felt like a pile of bricks. A clap of thunder roared outside, and Aya pulled the blankets over her head. Rain pounded on the window, and Aya fought desperately to sleep. She tried to think of something comforting to help her sleep, but she was drawing a blank. Suddenly, Dio came to mind. He was sleeping just across the hall, and if she needed him, surely she could just call out to him. He _had_ done it once before. Shutting her eyes, she felt herself drift off, the image of Dio still in her mind.

Dio wasn't having a much better time. He didn't like storms either, and was having trouble sleeping. _I shouldn't be so tired, after being dead for about nine years_, he thought as he rolled over to face the other way. _Still, it was very nice of Aya to let me stay here._ _She's grown up so much, I almost didn't recognize her. She's so – pretty now… What am I thinking?!_ Dio quickly tried to forget the subject, and go to sleep. _I just have to close my eyes and breathe,_ he thought quietly. Dio let all of his muscles relax, and felt himself getting lighter and lighter, until he was fast asleep.

* * *

She wasn't running fast enough, he was going to catch her. Aya could hear him, his chainsaw whirring and his heavy footsteps in the stony hall. He was catching up. She tried to get her legs to move faster, but to no avail. Aya felt herself tripping and falling. It seemed to be in slow motion. She thudded to the ground, and heard the footsteps right behind her. She flipped over to see her father's grinning face. She watched in horror as her father laughed like the deranged person he was. He brought the chainsaw down on her with all his might.

* * *

Aya jolted upright, her bloodcurdling wails echoing through the house. She was drenched from head to toe in a cold sweat that made her night gown stick to her skin. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she curled up into a ball, sobbing. Dio came bursting through the door. He rushed over to Aya, sitting next to her on the bed. He put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"Aya. Aya it's okay. It's me. Shh-shh." Dio said to her in a hushed voice. She looked up slowly, and was met with a pair of warm amber eyes. Aya threw her arms around him, practically tackling him.

"Oh, Dio! It was awful! H-he was chasing me, and h-he caught me and-" Aya was overcome with another wave of sobs before she could finish. Dio needed to hear no more.

"Aya, it's okay. He's gone, and he's never coming back." Dio whispered, hugging her back. Aya stopped sniffling, and Dio could feel her nod against his shoulder.

"Thank you, Dio. I owe you so much… How can I ever pay you back?"

"There are no charge for my acts. You would do the same for me. I'm not sure how you'll repay my lost sleep, though." said Dio, cracking a grin at the end. Aya gave a small laugh and looked at him gratefully. He started to get up when he felt Aya grab his wrist.

"Would…would you mind? Can you stay with me tonight? Please?" she asked in a quiet, almost ashamed voice. Dio smiled.

"Of course." He replied quietly. Aya moved over and he got in next to her. She rolled over so that he could not see the blush that streaked her entire face, but played it off as going to sleep.

"Goodnight, Dio. Sweet dreams." Aya whispered. She felt her eyelids get heavy, and, for some reason, she wasn't scared to go to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Aya woke up to the smell of something delicious coming from the kitchen. Dio was still at her side, fast asleep, with some drool dribbling down his face. At first, Aya giggled at Dio's blissful adorableness, but when it dawned on her that only one person could be cooking, her eyes grew wide. Springing out of bed, she raced to the kitchen, only to find Maria, who was cooking some ham over the stovetop. Aya knew that on rare occasions, Maria would peek into her bedroom in the morning just to see if her mistress was alright. She prayed that today hadn't been one of those occasions.

"Good morning Maria!" Aya chirped, hiding the fear that buzzed inside her like lightning.

"Good morning, mistress. Did you have a restful sleep?" Maria asked, not taking her eyes off of the pan she was cooking with. Aya tensed. She had to pick her words carefully. On one hand, the question might have been just that, a simple, friendly question. On the other, she had a queasy feeling about Maria not meeting her eyes.

"Yes – well, no, actually… the storm… it was – erm – hard to sleep…" Aya stuttered, chiding herself mentally for her stupidity.

"Really? I thought it would have been easy to sleep with someone else in your bed." replied Maria calmly, still focusing on her cooking. Aya's heart stopped. She had been caught. That was it, she was done for. Maria looked up from the pan.

"I would have at least liked to have _known_ that you had a gentleman friend." Maria said, more with annoyance than with anger. Aya flushed pink.

"No, no, no Maria! He's not – we're not–" She tried to explain.

"Mistress, I'm not mad. You don't have to make up lies. Just say you're sorry and introduce me. He does seem handsome after all." said Maria, smirking at Aya, who flushed an even deeper shade of pink. Aya's face, even though she was thoroughly red with embarrassment, quickly turned grim.

"You mean you don't recognize him?" She whispered, dropping her voice deeper than normal. Maria's brows furrowed.

"Should I?"

"Maria, it's… it's him…" Maria's eyes grew wide.

"What?!" Maria hoarsely whispered, "What do you mean it's him?!"

"She's means that it's me." Came a voice behind them. The pair turned to see Dio, leaning against the doorway and smiling. He tapped his glass eye with his fingernail, which made a small _ping, ping, ping!_

"It's been a while, Maria. Good to see you again.

* * *

**AN: **That's right, MIPPERS! A MIPPING CLIFFHANGER! *Evil laugh* Guess you'll just have to wait! But I did put a little AyaxDio for you shippers out there. :D

In other news, did anyone see last night's Doctor Who?! WHAT THE FREAKITY FREAKING FRICK? I can't even... I CAN'T EVEN. Yesterday was just an 'I CAN'T EVEN' kind of day... We had a Broadway song collection showcase in Theater, and for my Les Miserables song 'One Day More', our Jean Valjean was Jean ValGONE. I CAN'T EVEN. I WAS SO MAD I-JUST-MIPPPPP. But, oh well. See you guys next time!

Love,

TheFlyingPie


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** Don't kill meeeeeee! I know it's been a while, I know! I've been VERY busy this summer! I've been working a CIT job and I've been attending summer camp and I've had auditions and UGH! I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry! But, I believe this chapter will make it up to you ;). Quick thank you to all who reviewed, AAAAAAND to my lovely friend (*cough* more like best friend *cough*) PsychopathicPussyCat on Deviantart for my wonderful "Book Cover" (as I like to call it!) Check out her stuff, she's cool! Anyways, time for the story! YOU READY?! GET SETTY! GOOoooOOOoOooOooOoooOOoO!

**DISCLAIMER: **If I owned this... things would be different... But I don't so **READ!**

* * *

Maria's eyes grew wide, and a short gasp escaped her lips. Aya saw a heavy look of terror cross her face, but if she knew Maria, this fear would not last. Ever since the incident, Maria had no longer lived in fear, but stood up for herself, and protected Aya with all of her strength. And Aya was correct. Any alarm that Maria had felt was quickly gone, and was replaced by rage and protectiveness. Maria's hand darted to the side for an instant, only an instant, and she saw the gleam of the silver as Maria pointed a knife at Dio.

"You, what are you doing here?!" She shouted. Dio's happy expression was replaced with that of a more serious tone.

"Monkia sent me. I'm supposed to watch over Aya." He retorted, his smile now wiped clean from his face. Aya said nothing, but stood in the corner, waiting to see how this would play out.

"I'm here to watch her."

"Not all of the time." grumbled Dio, trying to keep his calm resolve.

"So? She's a fully grown woman! Why does she need a nanny?" Maria scolded, obviously not giving a damn about whether she was calm or not. Aya groaned quietly. Maria had a knack of getting very defensive over her.

"Look, Maria, I had no control over the matter. Monika resurrected me and gave me a task. And being a man of my word, I have to do it. Alright?" said Dio, quickly losing his patience. Maria closed her eyes and sighed through her nose. She could relate to being true to her word. She had promised Aya all those years ago that they would protect and watch over each other, and she had no intensions of backing out. She retracted her arm from where it was pointed at Dio and dropped the knife back on the counter. She looked him up and down once, took a few more deep breaths, and leaned back against the counter.

"Okay. Fine. So you're living with Mistress Aya. How long have you been here?"

"I came in last night. I'm sleeping in the guest bedroom." Maria nodded, but still looked slightly angry. Dio, feeling bad for shouting, held out his hand, hoping she would meet him halfway for a friendly handshake. She didn't move.

"I know this is going to take some getting used to, and I'll be here for a while, so why don't we start on a good note?" he asked in a friendly way, tilting his head. Maria looked at his hand for a moment, before taking it in her own and shaking it firmly. After this small, awkward affair, Maria turned on a heel and went back to making breakfast, but not before she added another slice of ham to the pan. Dio smiled.

* * *

"Do we have any patients today, Mistress?" asked Maria, looking up from breakfast.

"As a matter of fact, we do. Do you remember that young mother who needed medication for her baby last week? Well, I guess she needs some more. I received a letter from her yesterday morning. She'll be here at noon." Aya replied. She shoveled the last spoonful of fried ham into her mouth, wiped it with a napkin, and looked at the clock on the wall.

"Which gives us about an hour. Dammit," Aya furrowed her brow and grunted, "We won't have time to run down to the market for anything. You know how I like to have hors d'oeuvres for my patients." Dio looked up from his plate, which was virtually empty. Now was his chance to show Maria that he could be useful.

"I could run down and get something, Aya. You can do your prep while I go get some food. I would be killing two birds with one stone." He suggested, his face bright with hopefulness. Aya internally grimaced at the idiom, as she hated word 'killing' or any variant of that. But Dio's proposition was rather kind, and she decided that she would let him help.

"Would you really do that? You're a life saver Dio. Will I never stop owing you?" said Aya, smiling at him.

"The food you provide and the place to sleep are quite enough, Aya." Dio replied, picking up his plate and bringing it over to the sink.

"How about I wash our plates while you write down a list of things you need. Are you finished, Maria?" he said, glancing over at the maid. She nodded curtly and handed her and Aya's plate to him. _Dammit,_ Dio thought as he began to wash the plates, _she still doesn't like me. What's with this woman?_ Aya grabbed a piece of nearby scratch paper and a pen and began quickly writing down a list of items.

As Dio finished washing the plates and putting them away, Aya gave him the list and some money for the food. Folding it neatly, he put the list and the money in his pocket.

"The village is about half a mile from here, if you walk quickly, I'm sure you can make it back in an hour." Aya said. Dio smiled and patted her shoulder.

"I'll be back in time, don't worry Aya." He reassured her. And with that, he turned and walked out the door. As soon as Aya was sure he was out of hearing distance, Aya turned to Maria, who was cleaning the table of crumbs and such.

"MARIA!" Is that any way to treat a guest?!" Aya shouted. Maria looked up Aya in a way a teenager would look at a parent after being scolded.

"Any way to treat a guest who's been dead for nine years? Any way to treat a guest whom you last saw because of a curse your mother put on your father that rose the dead? Maybe it is Aya, maybe it is. How much do you trust him?" Maria asked.

"You have no idea how much I trust him, Maria. Do you want to know why we were sleeping together last night? I had a nightmare. Another one. I cried out, and he came to my aid. He comforted me. Maybe it's good for me to have someone." Aya retorted. Maria, knowing she had no clear reasons to defend herself with, other than her own protectiveness, sighed. Maybe it was best. Aya had always had nightmares after the incident, unsurprisingly.

"Okay. Perhaps you're right. Now come, we have to prepare for the patient." Maria said calmly.

* * *

It took Dio about seven minutes to reach town, as the trail from the cottage was filled with small hills and dips. As he approached the village, Dio pulled out the list that Aya had written for him.

"Bread, cheese, tomatoes, basil, and olive oil." Dio read aloud as he walked. _That's not too bad. I'm sure I'll be done in time, _he thought to himself. Looking up from his list, he realized that he had just passed the 'Welcome!' sign. Dio backtracked a couple of steps and looked at the large wooden sign. Engraved in the wood in old letters was "Welcome to Crescent Village".

"Crescent Village. Alright." He said, content that he now knew the village's name. He continued and passed a tall building and a small, wide building, with room for a pathway in between them. Suddenly, he found himself on the edge of a bustling town square. As he looked around, he realized that all of the buildings were arranged into a circle, and town square was in the middle.

"Hmph, this must be the industrial part of town." Dio muttered to himself, as he had caught a glance of houses just beyond the other side of the circle of buildings. Quickly remembering what he had come here for, he caught a passerby by the arm.

"Excuse me sir, but do you know where the market is?" Dio asked the man politely. He pointed diagonally across the square, where a line of tents were set up. Dio quickly thanked the man, and headed off in the direction of the tents.

* * *

"Looks like we're just about done, Maria," Aya exclaimed happily, "and with time to spare!" Maria nodded happily, but her joyful expression turned quickly to one of unhappiness.

"What is it?" asked Aya.

"Dio forgot a basket. How is he going to carry everything home?" Aya groaned. Maria was right.

"I'll bring one to him, you stay here." Maria said, dusting off her skirt.

"Thanks Maria, I'll finish up." Maria left the Treatment Room, grabbed a basket, and headed out of the house. She needed to be fast if she wanted to catch Dio.

* * *

"How much for two tomatoes?" Dio asked the woman under the tent.

"That'll be six coins" she said. Putting down the loaf of bread and the hunk of cheese he had already bought, Dio reached into his pocket and pulled out the money. He handed it to the woman, in exchange for the tomatoes.

"You don't happen to have a basket or something I could borrow, do you?" he asked. The saleswoman shook her head and muttered a 'sorry'. Dio sighed and carefully picked everything up.

"Three down, two to g-" he started to mutter to himself, but was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see another young man, who was just as tall, but much more muscular. He had short, black hair and amber eyes.

"I've never seen you around here before. What's your name?" The man asked.

"Dio."

"Dio? That's… odd… I'm James. James Schneider." James held out a hand. Dio, whose hands were full, looked down at the open hand, and back up at James's face. _Not the brightest one, is he?_ Dio thought to himself. James retracted his hand, unshaken, and continued.

"Where are you staying, Dio?"

"I'm staying at the Drevis Clinic." James's eyes shot wide open.

"You're staying with Aya Drevis?! How'd you score her?" James smirked. Dio could feel his face start to flush.

"Excuse me?" Dio asked.

"Aya thinks she's too good for any of the other men in the village. How'd you get lucky enough to become her beau?" Dio felt himself flush even more so.

"We're not a couple, if that's what you mean." said Dio indignantly. James laughed.

"Sure. Sure. Now tell me, is she a good kisser?" James prodded. Dio's eyes widened.

"We are NOT together. She's just my friend, and I'm staying with her for a while." said Dio, his face prominently red. James smirked again, finally seeming to understand.

"Good, because she belongs to me anyways." He stated, smile now wiped clean from his face. Dio felt the embarrassment inside him fall like a brick, and a new feeling start to rise.

"What do you mean 'belongs to me'? Are you two betrothed?" Dio said, the new feeling churning his stomach like wild.

"No, but I'm the richest man in this town, and she's the prettiest girl. It's just how it is, whether she likes it or not, we will be married." James spit at him. Dio the anger inside him start to boil.

"Shouldn't she love you for you two to be married?" asked Dio, barely containing his anger.

"It doesn't matter whether she does or not, and the sooner that bitch know it-" James began, but was sharply cut off by Dio's fist. Dio hit him with all his might, dropping the groceries. He felt James's nose crack, but he didn't care. No one called Aya that. No one.

James stumbled backwards, holding his nose. Dio saw the thick maroon blood ooze its way through his fingers. James let out an agonizing cry. His eye's shot open, to reveal rage and pain, both mixed to create a deadly combonation. He started to run at Dio, but was stopped by a woman who jumped out of the newly gathered crowd around them. James stopped in his tracks, and backed up a few feet.

"James Schneider. You stop this immediately! Should I tell your father, THE MAYOR, that you're causing fights again? What did he say last time? That you'd be banned from town square if you did that again, right? Would you like that James? Would you?" shouted Maria, walking towards James as he backed up.

"N-no ma'am." He mumbled.

"That's what I thought. Now go! Get out of here!" Maria barked. James turned around and started to sulk away, but not before turning his head and giving Dio a menacing look. Dio knew this wouldn't be the last time they fought, but for the moment, he was perfectly fine with that. Maria turned to Dio and smiled.

"Thank you, Mister Dio." She said kindly. Dio smiled back at her and nodded.

"Of course." He replied. And even though it was not spoken, as both of them turned to pick up the dropped groceries, they knew that all was well between them.

* * *

**AN:** How 'bout them apples?! I worked really really hard on this chapter, so I hope you liked it! I've never cursed in a story before, and I'm kind of excited! Not really a romantic chapter, but it's establishing a plot. As always, please leave a review, and I'll try and be better at updating!

Sorry again!

-TheFlyingPie


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